Spynie Palace

Nothing
remains of the 13th century bishop's residence; it was probably built of timber
which has left no trace.The earliest surviving walls, on the south and
west, date from the 14th century, and suggest that the palace of that period
covered much the same area as it does now. The main gate was on the south, and
led through a range of buildings into the central courtyard. On the first floor
of this range was a chapel, of which three large pointed-arched windows remain
in the standing portion of the wall. Two tall traceried windows in the west
courtyard wall indicate the existence of a hall in this position. The basement
of the later towerhouse, at the south-west corner, incorporates the foundations
of a cylindrical tower, which may also have been 14th century and possibly have
contained in its upper storeys the private chambers of the bishop. The extent of
the palace on the north and east would have been restricted, as in later
periods, by the edge of the natural plateau on which it was built.

During the time of Bishop David Stewart (1461 - 77),
construction work began on a massive new rectangular tower to replace the
cylindrical one at the south-west corner. This was completed by his successor,
Bishop William Tulloch (1477 - 82), and is the largest towerhouse in Scotland.
On the first floor it contained the bishop's hall, and above that, three further
floors of chambers below a vault and an additional attic storey. Other smaller
chambers and closets were built into the thickness of the walls. To the north of
the tower, the earlier hall range was demolished and replaced by service
buildings.

The bishopric of Moray was established in 1107, but little is known of its
history until a century later when the Holy Trinity Church at Spynie became the
cathedral in which the bishop's throne was located. In 1224, the cathedral was
transferred to Elgin, but Spynie remained the principal residence of the bishops
until 1686. The office of bishop was abolished in the Scottish Church shortly
afterwards. When the first bishop lived here, the palace stood on the edge of a
sea-loch giving safe anchorage for fishing boats and merchant ships. There was a
thriving settlement in the shadow of the palace. Later, the loch silted up and
more recently much of it has been reclaimed for farming. Nothing remains of the
medieval town of Spynie except for the palace itself.

Mary stayed here from 17th to 19th September 1562 mustering her
forces while returning from Inverness to Aberdeen, during the Huntly
expedition. Her host was Bishop Patrick Hepburn, relative of the Earl of
Bothwell, her future third husband. After the
Reformation the palace was used by Protestant bishops. James VI stayed here in
1589. General Munro besieged the castle in 1640, and compelled Bishop Guthrie to
surrender it, and the Bishop was imprisoned. The last resident Bishop was Colin
Falconer, who died here in 1686, and Bishop Hay, the last bishop, was removed
from office in 1688. The building then fell into disrepair.

Open daily April to September but weekends only October to March. Tel.:
44+ (0)1343 546 358.